NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Prep Resource

Negative punishment refers to a behavioral strategy where a desirable stimulus is removed following an undesirable behavior, thereby reducing that behavior's occurrence in the future. In the context of this question, when a student loses privileges for misbehavior, it exemplifies how negative punishment works. The loss of a privilege serves to decrease the likelihood of the misbehavior being repeated.

This approach focuses on taking away something that the student enjoys or values as a consequence of their actions, which can help them understand the repercussions of their behavior. Other options presented do not fit this definition of negative punishment. For example, receiving praise is a form of positive reinforcement, awarding extra time is a reward that encourages behavior, and assigning additional tasks could be seen as an additional demand rather than a removal of privileges. Hence, losing privileges effectively aligns with the core principles of negative punishment.